Cognitive Dissonance
Leon Festinger
Interpersonal Communication—Influence
Group Decision Making
Theory Overview (7th Edition)
Abstracts appear in Appendix A of the text
Cognitive dissonance is an aversive drive that causes people to (1) avoid opposing viewpoints, (2) seek reassurance after making a tough decision, and (3)change private beliefs to match public behavior when there is minimal justification for an action. Self-consistency, a sense of personal responsibility, or self-affirmation can explain dissonance reduction. (Socio-psychological tradition)